Attorneys Handling Air Medical Accidents

Medical Helicopter Crash Lawyers

In June 2006, Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics attempted the medical helicopter evacuation of a child injured in a car accident. Mid-flight, the helicopter's tail rotor yoke failed, causing the aircraft to break in two. The helicopter crashed, killing the child and three paramedics. Dedicated to pursuing accountability for the defective design of the helicopter, Baum, Hedlund, Aristei & Goldman, P.C. successfully represented the families of the three paramedics who lost their lives in this devastating air medical tragedy. Read more about this accident.

Baum Hedlund is a recognized leader in aviation accident law, handling some of the worst air disasters in history. Over the years, our firm has earned a reputation for its comprehensive investigations, effective case preparation and successful resolution of complex aviation accident lawsuits, including those involving air medical aircraft accidents and other air medical crashes.

We handle accidents involving all types of medical service flights in the U.S. and Mexico. Air medical accidents can include police, fire, Life Flight or other air medical services, such as:

• Medical evacuation helicopters (Medevac)
• Small airplane medical service flights
• Flying Doctors of Mercy
• Private ambulance flights (such as OmniFlight services)
• Chartered flights to the U.S. for medical services
• Other air ambulance or air medical services

Demonstrated Experience in Air Medical Accident Litigation

Flying Doctors of Mercy — Baum Hedlund represented a doctor (a member of the Flying Doctors of Mercy) who was severely injured in a Mooney M20E crash in Sinaloa, Mexico, on November 2, 1991. Baum Hedlund successfully resolved the personal injury lawsuit in the doctor's favor.

Medical Evacuation Helicopter Crash — Baum Hedlund successfully represented a paramedic injured in an Air Methods Bell 206L3 medical helicopter crash in Bayfield, Colorado, on September 2, 1992. The helicopter crashed while attempting to evacuate an injured hiker.

Flying Doctors of Mercy Plane Crash — Baum Hedlund successfully represented the family of a surgeon (a member of the Flying Doctors of Mercy) who was killed in a crash in a remote Camp Pendleton canyon in California, on March 4, 1995. Read more about this plane crash

Air Transport Medical Plane Crash — In 1996, Baum Hedlund successfully handled a Beech E-90 Guardian Air Transport medical plane crash in Flagstaff, Arizona. The pilot was on his way to pick up a patient in Phoenix when the crash occurred.

The plane was registered to Flagstaff Medical Center in Arizona, doing business as Guardian Air Transport. The pilot had logged more than 10,000 incident free miles since joining Guardian Air in 1992.

The following is a summary of the medical transport plane crash:

On January 31, 1996, the plane was to have made a medical patient pickup in Phoenix, Arizona. Shortly after takeoff from Flagstaff, the pilot contacted the maintenance department and reported an unsafe gear light. The maintenance department advised the pilot to follow normal emergency procedures. The pilot modified his instrument departure with Albuquerque Air route Traffic Control Center to seek an area of VFR conditions to resolve the gear problem. The pilot reported that the problem was resolved. He was then advised to return to Flagstaff when he was about 20 miles south of the airport. The pilot requested and received clearance for an ILS DME runway 21 approach. The pilot was handed off to the Flagstaff tower when 8 miles south of the airport. The ATCT local controller requested the pilot to report "SHUTR", the initial approach fix inbound. There was no further radio contact with the pilot.

On February 3, 1996, the wreckage was located on Reese Mountain at 10,345 feet. The craft burned on impact and the crash site was heavily forested and rugged.

Fire Medical Rescue Helicopter Crash —In June 2006, Baum Hedlund represented the families of three Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics who were killed in a medical rescue helicopter crash. This was a products liability trial against Bell Helicopter for a tail rotor failure. Our firm successfully changed aviation product liability law in an earlier Appeals Court decision stemming from this case.

View additional information on this medical evacuation accident case:

• Safety aviation
• Trial animations
• Press release on winning this case

State Police Medevac Crash — Baum Hedlund is currently representing the mother of the only passenger killed when a Maryland State Police medevac Aerospatiale (Eurocopter) crashed near Andrews Air Force Base in September 2008. In that crash, the pilot of the medical evacuation helicopter, among other things, failed to adhere to instrument approach procedures when he descended below the minimum descent altitude (MDA).

Attorney Cara J. Luther, of Baum Hedlund, discusses the accident with ABC 2 News

Fighting for Truth, Justice and Accountability

Having handled air disasters for more than two decades, Baum Hedlund has distinguished itself as a preeminent aviation accident law firm. Our aviation accident team includes a private pilot of 30 years, a former airline transport pilot, a former commercial airline captain, a mechanical engineer, a bioengineer, a Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate and AV* rated attorneys.

With offices in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington DC, we represent clients throughout the U.S., and around the world.

For immediate assistance, or to schedule an initial consultation or case evaluation with an experienced air medical plane accident lawyer, please contact Baum Hedlund, P.C.

Free consultations • Very reasonable contingent fees • Servicios también disponible en español • Nous sommes fières d'offrir nos services en Français • Domestic and international aviation accident attorneys • Brochures, testimonials, and references available upon request